REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie - Men's
This REI Co-op sun shirt is great for days spent on the trails or water. Its stretchy, technical knit wicks moisture and provides UPF 50+ sun protection. Pull up the hood for extra coverage.
Key Details
- UPF 50+ fabric shields against harmful UV rays
- Supersoft stretch knit wicks away moisture and dries quickly to withstand multiple days on the trail
- 3-panel hood has an internal drawstring to seal out the elements and a crossover-style opening for sun coverage at the neck
- Raglan sleeves for ease of movement
- Thumbholes hold sleeves in place
- Machine wash warm; do not bleach; tumble dry low
- Product meets the bluesign criteria
- REI Co-op brand is certified to The Climate Label; we actively fund efforts to reduce carbon emissions across our business and support climate projects around the world
Imported.
View the REI Co-op Sahara Product LineView all REI Co-op Men's Hiking Shirts| Best Use | Watersports Hiking |
|---|---|
| Shirt Type | T-shirt |
| Fabric | 92% polyester/8% spandex (bluesign approved) |
| Sun-Protective Fabric | Yes |
| UPF Rating | 50+ |
| Moisture Wicking | Yes |
| Quick Drying | Yes |
| Sleeve Length | Long Sleeve |
| Hood | Yes |
| Thumbholes | Yes |
| Gender | Men's |
| Weight | 8.8 ounces |
| Sustainability | Product meets the bluesign® criteria From a Climate Label Certified brand |
| XS | S | M | L | XL | XXL | XXXL | 24 IN Waist | 26 IN Waist | 28 IN Waist | 30 IN Waist | 31 IN Waist | 32 IN Waist | 33 IN Waist | 34 IN Waist | 35 IN Waist | 36 IN Waist | 38 IN Waist | 40 IN Waist | 42 IN Waist | 44 IN Waist | 46 IN Waist | 48 IN Waist | 50 IN Waist | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest | 35 | 36 - 38 | 39 - 41 | 42 - 45 | 46 - 49 | 50 - 53 | 54 - 57 | |||||||||||||||||
| Sleeve Length | 32 | 32.5 | 33 | 33.5 | 34 | 34.75 | 35.5 | |||||||||||||||||
| Waist | 27.5 | 28 - 30 | 32 - 34 | 36 - 38 | 40 - 42 | 44 - 46 | 48 - 50 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 | 50 |
| Hip | 33.5 | 34.5 - 36.5 | 37.5 - 39.5 | 41 - 43 | 44 - 46.5 | 47.5 - 50.5 | 51.5 - 54.5 | 32 | 33.5 | 34.5 | 36.5 | 37 | 37.5 | 38.5 | 39.5 | 40.25 | 41 | 43 | 44 | 46.5 | 47.5 | 50.5 | 52.5 | 54.5 |
| Inseam | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
Sizing Notes
Measurements are stated in inches unless otherwise indicated. Size chart values represent body measurements, not garment measurements.
SHORT: Some pants are available in short sizes, which generally means an inseam that is 2.5 inches shorter than regular sizes.
TALL: Some pants, shirts, jackets and parkas are available in tall sizes, which generally means an inseam that is 3 inches longer and a rise that is 1 inch longer, a shirt or jacket body that is 2 inches longer, a parka body that is 2.5 inches longer and sleeves that are 2.5 inches longer than regular sizes.
Capri or cropped pants have an intentionally shorter inseam—reference the technical specs instead of this chart.
Inseam is measured to the floor.
Better gear is built together
From feedback to field testing, all of our gear is dialed-in by REI Co-op members. Their adventures informed every stitch and detail—making for better, longer-lasting gear.
Review this Product
Adding a review will require a valid email for verification
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Most Helpful Critical Review
Customer Images
Keeps me cool in overhead sun
Cool to the touch and easy on the skin. Kept me cool on a 3 mile walk with overhead sun. I liked the hidden hood cinch. Thumb loops seem to be stitched well and does not irritate when using hiking stick for short trips. I'm wide at 260lbs at 5'10", and this fit me well. Would like to try tall version to see if this would fit better over the belly. The desert moss color was brighter than expected.
A good shirt with a small flaw.
I really like this this shirt for overall comfort. The fit is only slightly large. The fabric has spandex for extra stretch which is nice. The fabric’s lighter weight offers more opportunities to wear from spring through fall. The color assortment could be better but at least there are several to choose from. My biggest complaint has to be the fabric label/tag. The back of the neck area has sizing printed directly on the shirt, so why is a giant tag that barely has any writing on it needed on the side? Itchy labels can ruin clothing and this one is so unnecessary. Cutting off tags of course is a huge risk to damaging the shirt. The buyer at REI has overlooked an important detail that has no aesthetic impact on the garment. Hopefully they will remove or at least improve the tags on future products. This was so close to being a great shirt.
AT Thru Hike Staple - Buy Me NOW!
This is my most favorite, most useful, most valuable, most versatile, & Most value($) piece of gear I took on the trail. Of course one may argue the "Big Three", but I don't wear my tent to block sun & wind. REI Shara, may not be as flashy, as some of the boutique Hoodies, but is just as functional. I love the "stretchy" material. I never felt bunched up while wearing this hoodie. It is just the right weight to start a cold hiking day off wearing it, and you take it off at the first "camel-up" stop and you are good to go for the rest of the hike! I was able to sleep in this hoodie on colder nights without feeling over-dressed in my bag. I highly recommend this product. You will not be disappointed.
Solid for backpacking
This was realistically just what I'd hoped for. A lightweight, comfortable hoodie for sun-coverage when backpacking. Didn't kill my wallet or my pack-weight. No ties for the hood which is great for knock-around and the look, but not super for windy peaks... still a great trade off.
Sun Protection and Evaporative Cooling
Nice loose fit, great sun protection, soft, dries fast. Bought a second one!
Sahara Sun Shirt
In 2023 my wife and I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. For a long time before that, I was the idiot that did most of my activities in shorts and a tee-shirt, without any sunscreen and just burned. When I took a look at the PCT and noted that we were going to spend a month or so in the deserts of Southern California I decided to try out these hiking sun shirts that the sport had become such a big fan of over the last 5 years and am so glad it did. Here are the pros that i so love about my Sahara sunshirt: -Breathability: I will admit that for the first day or so I was reluctant to put a long-sleeve shirt on in 80-90 degree weather. It just made no sense to me. Why would I put more clothes on when I was already so hot? The burns I got those first 48 hours finally convinced me to give it a shot. What I found was that, while you “idle” a bit warmer than if you were in a tank top and shorts, the shirt takes marvelous advantage of any breeze that comes your way. It keeps you cool while protecting you from the sun in perfect balance. For the next 158 days on the trail it was the first thing I put on in the morning and last thing I took off. -Durability: My wife went through 2 shirts over the 160 days we hiked on the trail. I won’t mention the brand, but it wasn’t REI. My sunshirt, admittedly, looked more like a tunic or dress when we finally reached Manning Park and the thumbholes were hanging on by a thread, but it took an absolute beating for 5 months while still maintaining its integrity. Only my Patagonia Baggies held up as well. -Sun Protection: The shirt is as good as they say it is. I received no noticeable sun damage as long as I was wearing the shirt on the trail. Of the 160 days we hiked from Mexico to Canada, 90% were in full sun and ~10% were in snow and the spots that the shirt covered never got burned. -Material: Over the 5 months I wore this shirt on the trail, I expected it to get a certain odor that would become inseparable from it and, yes, hiking for 10-12 hours a day will make anything you wear stink but it cleaned up exceptionally well when I got a chance to wash it. The synthetic materials are fantastic in that respect. -Price Point: This shirt is fantastically priced - up to 50% cheaper than competitors, some of which I watched fall apart on my wife on the trail. This is a fantastic shirt for a great price that holds up on its promise to protect you from those harmful rays.
Airy Hoodie - Like It
This hoodie quickly became a staple for hikes and sunny outdoor days. It’s super lightweight and breathable, so I don’t overheat, even when I’m out in the sun for hours. The hood is a lifesaver for extra sun protection, and it’s great not having to constantly reapply sunscreen on my neck and ears. Wore it in summer at Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. Easy to wash, packable and dries quickly! The sage color is awesome—subtle but still stylish enough to wear casually off the trail. Plus, the fabric feels comfortable against my skin and wicks sweat really well, which is perfect for longer hikes. It’s one of those pieces I just throw on without thinking, and it always does the job.
almost prefect
I've tried other tall sun hoodies from Columbia and Eddie Bauer and this is the best. REI's is a true slim fit while the others are pretty baggy and it has the pefect amount of length and stretch. However it's probably the heaviest of the three but not so heavy to keep me from wearing it in hot weather. On the flip side that probably means it has the best UPF rating. If I'm being really picky the front collar could be cut lower. The hood cris-crosses in the front and feels little constrictive like a scarf you don't want because it's hot. Also I wish sun hoodies came with a 1/4 zip to help with heat loss and the collar issue.
Not a summer sun hoodie
I bought this during the A-sale to be a summer sun hoodie because of all the glowing reviews. However, I was disappointed to find that it is better for colder weather. I quickly overheated in this hoodie and it wasn’t even 80 degrees out yet. I was able to wear it for about 15 minutes before I had to take it off. Also rather disappointed in the quality. After just two washes, one before I wore it and the other after I sweated through it, the seams are already unraveling. I even went up a size because I like a baggier fit on hoodies. Since I think I can mend the seams I won’t be returning but I am disappointed this won’t work for summer sun protection.
Boyfriend wears this shirt at least 2-3x a week
I got this shirt in XL tall for my 6’5” ~200 lb boyfriend for his birthday and he’s barely taken it off since he got it. I’m going to buy this in a couple more colors because it really does fit him like a glove and is perfect for Colorado hikes and fishing days. I hesitated before buying this because I thought he had enough similar shirts, but this is the first shirt he reaches for when it’s clean.